Direct mail delivers proven results, but are you getting the best possible performance from your campaigns? Many marketers skip testing because they assume it’s too complex or too expensive. But here’s the truth: You don’t need a massive budget or sophisticated tools to run smart, insightful direct mail tests. In fact, small, strategic tweaks can lead to big boosts in response rates, ROI, and campaign learnings. Here’s how to make direct mail testing simple, practical, and worth your time.

Over the last several years, we’ve seen catalogs come and go. And we’ve seen many retailers jump into the game, spend a LOT of money (we’re talking tens of millions of dollars) and then abandon the model after a couple of seasons. This literally breaks my heart and makes me want to scream! Why does this happen? Here is my very quick opinion. These brands have a combination of the following: 1. A flawed merchandise concept that is not unique, delivered with out-of-date benefits or sent to an audience the brand knows nothing about. 2. Bad math that doesn’t take into account mail efficiencies, an understanding of their own database, mailing to bad names at the wrong time or how the catalog model fits into a cross-channel world. 3. A lack of understanding of how to create a landscape of words and imagery that truly sell off the page and drive activity to either a website or store. learn more at: https://www.jschmid.com/blog/5-reasons-catalogs-work/

Omnichannel Marketing Part 9: A Powerful Human Narrative - Garmin’s Women of Adventure campaign has been a bastion of the company’s sports, fitness and outdoor recreation division since it launched over 5 years ago. Recognizing the growing trend of predominantly male customers in their outdoor segment, Garmin launched an initiative focused on engaging the female community, proving that Garmin GPS and wearable tech can support and enhance their outdoor experiences. They started telling stories. Sharing photographs. Documenting adventures. All while inviting the fearless, persistent, and resilient women who live out their passions daily to engage with them across their platforms. By working with everyone from professional athletes to outdoor hobbyists, Garmin has created a space for women to engage with other women, whether they run, ride, sail, or anything in between. It’s a hook built on invitation, inclusivity, and a shared place to explore wide open spaces… together.